REAL Mixtapes... .:Feb 19 10:.

Some people have asked me why I don't refer to myself as "DJ" Jaba, and really the answer is simple... I am not a DJ. That is a title that should be earned. Growing up, to be called a "DJ" was to be held in an exalted position... you were THAT GUY! All the "DJs" that were runnin SD in my days were TRUE masters of their craft... as "DJs" they battled, went digging, knew how to party rock... and they had ALL KINDS of tricks and tips on how to keep a record from skipping, or how to make the fader a little looser. See, to me... back in the day, THOSE were the "DJs." In my 14 years of spinning and collecting, I have always done what I have done, but NEVER would I EVEN THINK of referring to myself as a DJ. To me, it is an insult to the REAL DJs who were doin before me... and who are doin it TODAY. (NO dis to those who buy Serato and chnage their name to DJ so-and-so... you do YOU and I'll do me... who am I to judge?) That being said, this brings me to why I am writing this entry tonight. My boy Felt One ( http://djfelt1.tumblr.com/ ) hit me up and goes "YO!!! I came across Style's old mixtape... the one I designed the cover for? With Bert and Ernie on the inside?!" I was kinda buggin. This was one of the mixtapes (yes I said TAPES) that I didn't own, but always wanted for my collection. I ALWAYS looked up to Style, Smallz, Ragz... ALL them cats and told Felt he HAD to let me rip it to MP3.

So this got me thinkin... throughout the years I have recorded a LOT of radio programs from back in the day, collected MAD mixtapes and have been influenced by A LOT of GREAT DJs... ACTUAL DJs who as I said earlier; battled, studied the art of scratching, made mixtapes, studied mixing, diggin... REAL DJ cats that I looked up to... Marcus B, DJ Jam, Rattyhead, Rob One, Rhettmatic, Babu, DJ Ragz, DJ Demon, HOP, Mike Czech, Top Rawmen, ISP, Junkies, Empire DJs, Fingaz... Where did all those mixtapes I bought back in the day go? So I started diggin around the pad...

Pulled out the old shoebox my DEE BROWN-REEBOK PUMPS came in and BAM! Cassette singles GALORE! But NOT what I was looking for... Hmmmm... VVVVVVVV

AND other tapes with no case... VVVVVVVVV

And then I saw the price tags on some of these TAPES! WTF!!! REALLY??? What made me laugh though was the fact that SOME cats would NEVER think of paying $10.00 to support a hip hop event, let alone put up that loot to buy a MIXTAPE?! PSHHHH... WHATEVER... I WAS!!! That's how much I NEEDED to get that NEW heat. YES... back then we DID support the movement. Did you??? What about now??? Either way, I am glad as F**K I did. VVVVVVVV

As time moved ahead, so did technology and so I began buying Mix CDs; DJ Demon, Mike Czech, H.O.P., DJ Happee, Stil Will, Nando, Mike C, Neil Armstrong, Vinroc, JUST to name a FEW of the DJs who influenced what I do today. These guys were comin CORRECT... full jewel cases, printed discs... As I started to dig thorugh all these tapes and CDs I started to transfer a lot of these gems to MP3. I even posted some of the OLD RADIO broadcasts from the early to mid 90s on my SoundCloud page. THIS is a piece of HIP HOP HISTORY... Enjoy them at www.SoundCloud.com/JABAone I will post more stuff as I find it... But as for now... I am missing BOXES of more mixtapes... Babu's Comprehension Mitxape, Rhett's Piece of Sh*t Mixtape, Empire DJs Crew Mixtape, Marcus B's Matrix Mixtape, Rip One's Mixtape, QBert's Operation Pumpkin Squeeze... the hunt for the REST of my tapes continues... In the meantime, thanks for lettin me get up on my soapbox. I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane with me...

Part 2 of 3 .:Feb 18 10:.

New World Color .:Feb 16 10:.

Help Save a Life .:Feb 15 10:.

My homie Lor's wife, Michelle needs a bone marrow transplant. If you are up in the Bay Area, please consider registering to be a match. All that is needed is some paperwork and a cheek swab. If you are a match, the process is just like donating blood. For those not in the Bay, you can register in your area. www.marrow.orgwww.aadp.orgTHANKS!